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French · IV The Method

Bain-marie: cooking in a water bath

France, classical kitchen

‹ The Method

I

Origin

The bain-marie belongs to the classical French kitchen, where a vessel of food is set in a larger vessel of hot water so that the heat reaches it gently and evenly. The name is French and is traditionally linked to Marie, an alchemist of antiquity, a derivation the culinary authorities repeat without proof. Jacques Pépin presents it in Complete Techniques as a working method of the professional kitchen, used for custards, terrines, delicate sauces and for keeping preparations warm.

II

Description

The bain-marie is a method of indirect heat. A mould, ramekin, terrine or bowl is placed in a larger roasting tin or saucepan, and hot water is poured around it to about half to two thirds of the height of the contents. The water cannot rise above 100°C (212°F), which keeps the heat around the vessel gentle and even, so that eggs and cream set without curdling and fats do not split. It serves in two ways: in the oven, for crème caramel, pots de crème, terrines and pâtés, and on the hob, with a bowl set over barely simmering water, for hollandaise, melted chocolate and sabayon. The same vessel of water also holds finished sauces and soups at serving temperature without reduction or scorching.

III

The Thread

—Both set an egg custard by surrounding it with gentle, moist heat, so that the protein coagulates slowly into a smooth gel. Chawanmushi is steamed in covered cups over simmering water and seasoned with dashi, soy sauce and mirin, whereas the French custard is baked in an open water bath and is usually sweet and rich with cream. Japanese
—Both are caramel-lined egg custards cooked in a water bath so that the edges do not overcook before the centre sets. The Spanish flan is commonly made with milk rather than cream and is often cooked in a pan on the hob or in a pressure vessel, where the French crème caramel is baked in the oven. Spanish
—Both rely on the water bath to hold the oven's heat below the point at which egg proteins tighten and crack. The American cheesecake is a large, dense, cream cheese custard in a tin wrapped against leaks, where the French preparation is usually individual and lighter in texture. American
IV

Flavour Context

Bain-marie preparations are the soft, delicate dishes of the French table: crème caramel, pots de crème, terrines of foie gras, and emulsified sauces such as hollandaise and béarnaise. Custards are served cold or barely warm, with fruit, a coffee or a sweet wine of the Sauternes type, whose sweetness and acidity meet the richness of cream and egg. Terrines and sauces pair with a dry white of good acidity, which cuts the fat. The structural reason is the texture the method gives: a tender, uniform, unbroken body that asks for a sharp or sweet counterpoint rather than a heavy one.

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